Machine for printing on three-dimensional articles and printing method

Abstract

The printing machine includes a support plate provided on its periphery with a plurality of receiving elements for articles rotatably mounted on the support plate, and a device for rotating the support plate in order that two articles, mounted on their associated receiving elements, respectively face two separate printing stations, the printing stations being supported by a single base. The machine further has a device for generating a relative translational movement between the base and the support plate so that patterns are helically printed on the articles during the rotation of the receiving elements.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. Printing machine comprising:
 a support plate provided on its periphery with a plurality of receiving elements for articles rotatably mounted on the support plate, 
 means for rotating the support plate in order that two articles, mounted on their associated receiving elements, respectively face two separate printing stations of the machine, 
 a system for rotating the receiving elements, 
 a base supporting the two printing stations, and 
 means for generating a relative translational movement between the base and the support plate, and for cooperating with the system for rotating so that patterns are helically printed on articles associated with the two printing stations. 
 
     
     
       2. Machine according to  claim 1 , wherein each printing station of the base is supplied with a single color. 
     
     
       3. Machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the means for generating the translational movement comprise:
 a support base, 
 a system for guiding the translational movement of the support plate, said system for guiding being mounted on the support base, and 
 a system for moving the support plate between a position of the support plate proximal to the support base, and a position of the support plate distal to the base support along the system for guiding. 
 
     
     
       4. Machine according to  claim 3 , wherein the system for guiding comprises:
 at least one guidance rail in the form of an elongate rod fixed to the support base and configured to slide in a complementary member of the support plate, said complementary member comprising a ball bearing system in contact with said rod. 
 
     
     
       5. Machine according to  claim 3 , wherein the system for moving includes a helical connection. 
     
     
       6. Machine according to  claim 5 , wherein the helical connection is implemented by a screw. 
     
     
       7. Machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the system for rotating the receiving elements comprises a single motor coupled to each receiving element via a single belt. 
     
     
       8. Method for printing on three-dimensional articles implementing a support plate provided on its periphery with a plurality of receiving elements for articles, said method comprising the following steps of:
 placing the support plate, and a base provided with first and second printing stations, into a first printing position so that two different articles respectively face the first and second printing stations, 
 rotating the receiving elements, and 
 printing, by means of the first and second printing stations, patterns on the associated articles, the step of printing patterns on the articles being helically performed by imparting, during the rotation of the receiving elements, a relative translational movement between the support plate and the base up to a second printing position representative of the end of a print cycle. 
 
     
     
       9. A printing method according to  claim 8 , wherein, once the second printing position is reached, the support plate carries out a rotational movement during which:
 a translational movement between the support plate and the base is initiated so as to take up again the relative level between the support plate and the base in the first position, and 
 a single motor rotates all the receiving elements so that they take up again a position, relative to the support plate, identical to that in the first printing position. 
 
     
     
       10. A printing method according to  claim 9 , wherein the rotational movement of the support plate, the translational movement and rotational movement of the receiving elements overlap at least partially over time during the passage from the second printing position to the first printing position after a step of printing patterns.